UNITED
NATIONS,
February 20 –
The UN found
three
“substantiated”
cases
of sexual
exploitation
or abuse by
its
peacekeeping
personnel in
2012, having
reached
conclusions on
16 of the 60
complaints for
that year, the
UN
told Inner
City Press
late Tuesday.

But
the UN did
not, as Inner
City Press
requested,
provide any
answer about
repatriation,
much less to
what countries
and about
prosecution
and
conviction,
despite the
claim of a
“zero
tolerance”
policy by
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon and UN
Peacekeeping
chief Herve
Ladsous.

On
the issue of
sexual
exploitation
and abuse,
DPKO and DFS
report that
in 2012, a
total of 60
allegations of
sexual
exploitation
and abuse
were reported,
down from 74
allegations
reported in
2011. Of the
60
allegations
reported in
2012, close to
half involved
the most
egregious
forms of
sexual
exploitation
and abuse,
namely sexual
activities
with minors or
non-consensual
sexual acts.
Twenty-five
(25)
allegations
involved
civilian
personnel, 19
involved
military
personnel, 9
involved
police
personnel, six
were non-UN,
and 1 was
unknown. Of
these, the
status of
investigations
is as follows
as of
1 February
2013: 30 are
pending, 13
are
unsubstantiated,
and 3 are
substantiated.

In
line with its
zero tolerance
policy, UN
Peacekeeping
is determined
to
continue its
efforts to
strengthen
accountability
for
prevention,
enforcement
and response
including
criminal
accountability
where
warranted -
and in
accordance
with national
laws. Victim
assistance
must also
remain a
priority.

While
appreciating
the response,
we note that
the numbers do
not add up.

But even with
half of the
complaints
still
“pending” as
of
February 1,
2013, it is
striking that
for the three
“substantiated”
complaints,
the UN does
not as
requested
answer on
repatriation,
and
to which
countries.

The
reference to
“in accordance
with national
laws” would
seem to
mean that that
UN disclaims
responsibility
for
prosecution.
(Of
course, the UN
could decline
to give
immunity to
troops from
countries
which won't
prosecute in
substantiated
cases of
sexual
exploitation
or abuse.)

But
what prevents
the UN from
providing more
information at
least about
the
substantiated
cases?

Already
we
have shown
that Ban
Ki-moon's
“Human Rights
Due Diligence
Policy,” as
(not) applied
by
Peacekeeping
chief Herve
Ladsous to
126 rapes in
Minova by the
Congolese Army
which Ladsous'
DPKO
supports, is
not what it
claims to be.